Method of making brushes



Dec. 18, 1945. Q w, 5mm- 2,391,077

METHOD OF MAKING BRUSHES Filed Sept. 12, 1942 INVENTOR. 0. W. Sf/C'f Patented Dec. 18, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD or mxmo BRUSHES Dtto W. Sticht, Orange, N. J. Application September 12, 1942, Serial No. 458,121 4 Claims. (01. 300-21) This invention relates to brushes and method of making said brushes, and particularly to the securing of a tuft of hair in a tubular holder or ferrule of fibrous material, such as paper spirally wound, extruded or produced in any other suitable manner.

It has been the common practice to mount the tuft of hair in a metal holder or ferrule by inserting one end portion of the tuft of hair into one end portion of the metal ferrule and then crimping said end portion of the metal ferrule upon the end portion of the tuft of hair engaged in the ferrule.

It has been necessary to provide a substitute for the metal ferrule due to the lack of metal for 'such use, and the most suitable substitute for hair in one end portion of a paper tubing which will have no effect on lacquer or paint and therefore will not cause changes in the shape of the portion of the tuft of hair projecting from the paper tubing, and that solvents, such as acetate, acetone, ether and other similar solvents, have no effect on such securing means.

It is another object of the invention to providea method of assembling the securing means, the tuft of hair and the paper tubing whereby the securing means will hold the tuft of hair uniformly and firmly in the holder of paper-tubing, and the portion of the tuft of hair projecting from the holder may be formed to any shape desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willbe disclosed in the detailed description of the invention In, thev drawing accompanying and forming a part ofv this application,

Figur' 1 is a perspective view of a. length of paper tubing constituting a-holder for a tuft of hair.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tuft of'hair.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the application of a thermoplastic to an end portion of the tuft of hair.

Figure 4 is a composite view in perspective of the tuft of hair having the thermoplastic applied to an end portion thereof positioned relative to one end portion of the holder prior to inserting the tuft of hair into the holder.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the tuft of hair inserted in the holder in sequence to the condition of the parts shown in Figure 4.

Fig e 6 is a fragmentary view of means to apply heat and pressure to the end of the holder engaged by the tuft of hair and the thermoplastic to fuse the thermoplastic and impregnate the tuft of hair and holdertherewith and form the projecting portion of the tuft of hair to the shape desired.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a fully assembled brush subsequent to the heat and pressure applying means. I

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of dies forming the heat and pressure applying means of Figure 6 in an inoperative position.

In carrying out the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, there is provided a holder comprising a length of fibrous tubing 9, such as paper spirally wound, extruded or produced to tubular form in any other suitable manner. The length of the tubular holder depends on the use of the brush and whether the holder is to form the handle of the brush or constitute means for mounting the bristles of the brush to a handle. The bristles of the brush comprise a tuft of hair It] adapted tobe mounted in the holder 9 by inserting an end portion of the tuft of hair in an end portion of the holder with the opposite end portion of the tuft of hair projecting from the holder, as shown in Figure 5.

The usual method of securing the tuft of hair in the holder is to clamp orcrimp the opposite wall portions of the holder together upon the end v portion of the tuft of hair engaged in the holder,

but this method is not suitable for a holder constructed of fibrous tubing, as said tubing is not of suflicient rigidity to retain its crimped condition and uniformly and firmly hold the tuft of hair. I

Therefore, it has been necessary to provide a new method of securing the tuft of hair in the holder, and it has been found that a suitable thermoplastic applied to the end portion of either the holder or tuft of hair before inserting the tuft of hair into the end portion of the holder :and the subsequent fusing and compressing of said thermoplastic would uniformly and firmly unite the tuft of hair to the holder.

In carrying out this new method of uniting a brush, and that solvents, such as acetate, acetone,

. ether or other similar solvents, will have no effect on such thermoplastic, as the holders and tufts of hair are used in finger nail enameling and a tist's brushes. It has been found that sulphur meets these requirements and has the desired properties 'of being readily workable by being fusible and viscous at temperatures below the scorching or burning point of the fibrous tubing.

To facilitate the application of the sulphur to the end portion of either the holder 9 or tuft of hair III, a vehicle is provided for the sulphur which forms with the sulphur a sulphur mixture and it has been found that alcohol is most suitable for the purpose, as it has a boiling and evaporating point lower than the fusing temperature of sulphur. The mixture of sulphur and alcohol is placed in a suitable receptacle, as shown at H in Figure 3, and the end portion of either the holder or tuft of hair is dipped into the sulphur mixture to obtain a deposit of the mixture thereon and the end having said deposit is engaged with the other element of the combination of holder and tuft of hair. In the present illustration of the invention, one end of the tuft of hair I is dipped in the mixture of thermoplastic, as shown in Figure 3, to approximately one-half of its length as indicated at l2, and then subsequently, the thermoplastic coated end portion I 2 of the tuft of hair is inserted in an end portion of the holder 9, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, with the uncoated end portion of the tuft of hair projecting from the holder, as shown in Figure 5.

It will be obvious that an end portion-of the holder 9 could be dipped in the thermoplastic mixture in receptacle II to a depth substantially equal to one-half of the length of the tuft of hair. and subsequently, an end portion of the tuft of hair is inserted in'the thermoplastic coated end portion of the holder. 40

After the thermoplastic is interposed between the engaged portions of the holder and tuft of hair by the methods set forth hereinbefore or by any other suitable methods, the end portion of the holder having the tuft of hair engaged therein is subjected to heat and pressure to fuse the thermoplastic and form said end of the holder to any desirable shape depending upon the shape of the bristles or the projecting portion of the tuft of hair desired. If it is desired to have said projecting portion of the tuft of hair of circular form in cross section, the adjacent end of the holder is compressed to circular form, and if it is desired to have the projecting end portion of the tuft of hair of elliptical or flat form in cross 55 section, the opposite wall portions of the adjacent end portion of the holder are pressed together to flatten said end portion of the holder.

In the present illustration of the invention, the projecting end portion of the tuft of hair is shaped 4 to elliptical form and this is accomplished-by a pair of heated dies and shown in a conventional manner in Figures 6 and 8 as comprising a die block I: having an arcuate recess II in one face and slidably mounted in a fixed support I and yieldingly urged to a predetermined position against a stop or abutment l6 arranged on the support l5 by a spring I! compressed between an 'end portion of the support I! and the die block I; by having one end of the spring engaged by 70 a pin is projecting from the end portion of the support and the opposite end engaged in a recess Is in the rear face of the die block if, as shown in Figure 8. The other die membercomprises a plunger 20 having the forward face of arcuate shape corresponding to the arcuate recess II and adapted to clamp the end of the holder 8 to the arcuate recess I 4 and the forward movement of the plungermoving the die block l3 against the force of the spring l1 and into engagement with a stop or abutment 2| on the support II whereby the adjacent end portions of the holder and tuft of hair are clamped together and the thermoplastic is forced into the material of the holder and the hairs of the tuft to retain the holder in clamped condition and secure the tuft of hair to the holder.

To adapt the thermoplastic to retain the holder in clamped condition and secure the tuft of hair to the holder, the dies l3 and 2c are heated by suitable means, and diagrammatically shown as being heated by electric resistance coils 22 mounted in the dies adjacent to the arcuate faces thereof. The engagement of the heated arcuate faces of the dies l3 and 2|! will fuse the thermoplastic interposed between the tuft of hair and the holder and dissipate the alcohol vehicle, and the forward movement of the die plunger 20 and the resistance to said movement by the die block I 3 will force the fused thermoplastic into the spaces between the hairs of the tuft and into the material of the holder.

After the thermoplastic has been thoroughly fused with the holder and the tuft of hair, the die plunger 20 is actuated from the die block l3 permitting the die block I: to move under the force of the spring I! and eject the formed brush from the support I5, and the brush dropping into a suitable depository, not shown, where the holder and thermoplastic will cool and the thermoplastic set in its formed condition.

The shape of the arcuate faces of the dies I3 and 20 will form opposite wall portions of the holder juxtaposed to the tuft of hair to extend in a slightly curved convex direction, as shown at 23, with the adjoining side portions of the holder extending substantially in the plane of the side wall of the body of the holder, as shown at 24 in Figure 7. This shape of the end portion of the holder causes the projectingportion of the tuft of hair to extend in flaring or diverging direction from the holder with the cross sectional shape of elliptical or flattened form, as shown at 25 in Figure 7. v

To produce a brush having the bristles diverging from the holder with a circular cross sec tion, the forming or clamping faces of the dies l3 and 20 are of an arc of approximately degreesto form a complete circle when said faces are in mating relation with each other.

It is to be understood that the thermoplastic used in retaining the holder in clamped condition and securing the tuft of hair in the holder is not limited to the mixture of sulphur but may be any other thermoplastic having a comparatively low fusing temperature and the property of retaining its formed shape, such as "Bakelite or condensite. The principal property of the thermoplastic is that the fusing or melting point thereof is below the scorching or burning point of the material of the holder.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A method of making brushes, consisting in providing a tube of fibrous material, a tuft of hair and a mixture of a thermoplastic and a vehicle therefor, the thermoplastic havin a fusing point lower than the scorching temperature of the fibrous material of the tube and the vehicle having a boiling and evaporating point lower than the fusing temperature of the thermoplastic, applying the mixture of the thermoplastic and the vehicle to an end portion of the tuft of hair, inserting said end portion of the tuft of hair into one end of the tube with the opposite end portion of the tuft of hair projecting from the tube, and, applying heat and pressure to said end of the tube to dissipate the vehicle and fuse the thermoplastic and unite the hairs 0f the tuft together and secure the tuft of hair in the tube by the fused thermoplastic being forced into the spaces between the hairs of the tuft and into the material of the tube.

2. A method of making brushes consisting in providing a tube of fibrous material, a tuft of hair and a mixture of a thermoplastic and a vehicle therefor, the thermoplastic having a fusing point lower than ,j the scorching temperature of the fibrous material of thetube and the vehicle having a boiling and evaporating point lower than the fusing temperature of the-thermoplastic, ap. plying the mixture of the thermoplastic and'vehicle to an end portion of the tuft of hair, in-

serting said end portion of the trait of hair into one end of the'tube with the opposite end por- 3. A method of making brushes, consisting in providing a. tube of fibrous material and a tuft of hair, applying a mixture of sulphur and alcohol to an end portion of the tuft of hair, inserting said end portion of the tuft of hair into one end of the tube with the opposite end portion of the tuft of hair projectingifrom the tube, and applying heat and pressure to said end of the tube to dissipate the alcohol and fuse the sulphur and unite the hairs of the tuft together and secure the tuft of hair in the tube by the fused sulphur bein forced into the spaces between the hairs of the tuft and into the fibrous material of the tube.

4. A method of making brushes consisting in providing a tube of fibrous material and a tuft of hair, applying a mixture of sulphur and alcohol to an end portion of the tuft of hair, inserting said end portion of the tuft of hair into one end of the tube with the opposite end portion of the tuft of hair projecting from the tube, and applying pressure and heat to the end portion of the tube having the tuft-of hair engaged therein to form the projecting end portion of the tuft of hair to a desired shape and dissipate the alcohol and fuse the sulphur to adhesively secure, the tuft of hair in the tube by the fused sulphur be.

ins forced into the spaces between the hairs of the tuft and into the fibrous material of the tube. 

